London Affair

What can I say? This is a weird one. Filled with sitcom jingles and 60s freeze frames, LOLA is a product of its time. It's also got some stinky performances. Chucky Bronson sleeps his way through the role of a writer. Unable reveal a single note emotion, Bronson displays the sensitivity of a gravy bowl. His stone grimace may be good for getting it done and blowing away bad dudes, but it's not going to do anything for relationships. Susan George (who plays Lola) is certainly attractive. But, she's her one-note "I'm going to be a 12-year old" approach to the role grows tiresome. All and all, it's very funny to see this thing. You can't help but wonder what was going in with these B-flicks or why in the world Bronson wanted to take this role.

Well, there's Charles Bronson near his prime and heaps of nice female limbs in this film, so there is that going for it, regardless of your sex or preference, I suppose. There are other visual attractions besides the leads, though - some nice settings and camera work.

The problem is that, whilst the basic plot itself is somewhat plausible, it's just not handled to the depth that it could be. Bronson does a passable job as the writer who tries to be Hubby but ends up feeling more like Daddy half the time, but it is not his best effort by far. He really does better in thrillers like "Telefon". Susan George (as well as most of the actresses playing her friends/peers) comes off as being fairly vacuous, and acts more like she's 11 than 16. Perhaps this is meant to help us share some of Bronson's character's discomfort - but then he married her because she guilts him into it, or he guilts himself? Or what? I'm not buying it. Perhaps if there were some genuine deep chemistry and passion between the two, but I don't get that. The entire relationship comes off more like a long, uncomfortable play-date.

Okay, maybe it's supposed to - but then, what's the point?

And whilst as a male with the typical appreciation for the female form I can't say I really object strenuously to this, but hey - she wears a miniskirt in *every* scene, even in NYC in the wintertime? C'mon...

The soundtrack is also fairly hokey, even given when this film was made, and makes it feel even more contrived.

I gave this film a 6 of 10 because it's pleasant enough entertainment for the I've-no-date-tonight circuit, and because I'm a Bronson fan, but no higher because it really never draws in the viewer, and fails to make any lasting statement or impression.

Susan George as Twinky( what a weird name?) is a convincingly vacuous 16 year old British virgin who seduces a 32 year old American writer of pornography (Charlie Bronson). Must be unusual for Bronson cause he never kills or hits anyone. The plot is simple but the whole effect of mini skirts, long legs and blonde hair on Twinky plus the contrast of short black rugged Bronson as Scotty is funny and watchable. Bronson being loving and patient with the annoyingly bouncy playfulness of a 16 year old kid who is 'good in the sex' department is worth the time.

This is a VERY unusual role for perennial movie tough-guy/vigilante Charles Bronson. He plays an American writer of pornographic novels living in Britain who gets involved with a teenage British girl (Susan George). Her parents are less than thrilled (although personally I'd be too scared to tell Bronson he couldn't date my teenage daughter). But the real trouble comes when he takes her back to America to meet his own judgmental family and where the disparity in their ages starts to take its toll.

The American title of this "Lola" may suggest it was inspired by the notorious Vladimir Nabokov novel "Lolita", but the original British title was actually "Twinky", and it was allegedly based on an autobiographical(!) story by screenwriter Norman Thaddeus Vane (who might have been even more sex-crazed than Roman Polanski--at least Polasnski didn't make movies about his affairs with underage girls). The title "Lola" (without the diminutive "ita") is somewhat appropriate though because casting the then 19-year-old Susan George in the role takes away the seriously perverse elements of the story (you'd have to be a sick pervert to NOT be attracted to her). So this becomes more of just an absurd comedy about an older guy trying to carry on an affair with a much younger girl who he is really more of a father figure to.

This is probably not a favorite of Bronson fans, but he was such a rigidly typecast actor (kind of like John Wayne) that its nice to see him play a different role (He's miscast, but not nearly as much as Wayne was playing Genghis Khan). Susan George doesn't really have much to do but ride around on a bike in her schoolgirl outfit (but, believe me, that's plenty). Director Richard Donner seems a little embarrassed by this (he took his name off the print I saw), but this is the same guy that made those stupid "Lethal Weapon" movies with that douche-bag Mel Gibson. . . This isn't great, but you just can't go totally wrong with an oddball, off-beat movie like this.

Miniskirt fans, this is for you! It's 1969, and we're watching a precocious Susan George in schoolgirl miniskirts, happily chatting away, burning breakfasts and generally being a teen, while Charles broods, and wanders through this flick, like he doesn't quite know how to handle a chick that's old enough to be his daughter. This is an update on the Lolita theme but has none of the sexual tension of Nabokov. Simply, a great flick if you like to fantasize about hooking up with a babe 20 years younger than you. Unfortunately, the version produced by "Passion Productions" (where did they get THAT name???), is of murky quality; if you find another (even the VHS version has to be better!), buy it. I think a better flick was the one with William Holden. At least he had FUN!